Turning ideas into script

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umemi (too lazy to log in)

Turning ideas into script

#1 Post by umemi (too lazy to log in) »

(Not sure where this goes, but I'll start here)

So I've been writing my first VN for a while now (almost 3 or so months now?), and I don't feel like I've made very much progress. I'll get an idea, collect it down with my other inspired thoughts (which all sound like mini gold mines to me, at first), but when it comes time to write it in the story, I feel like I have to shift the style and tone of the story to fit it in. I don't feel like I can "write" the scene or plot point in convincingly enough, without it sounding like just "words on a page".

Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions about how to convert ideas into script? It's getting to the point where I have to start over new sections just to get the right feel. I'm getting pretty frustrated with the project, but I'd rather not start something new until I complete this one (for better or worse, I guess?).

I also have the problem of thinking of too many extras that I don't think I'll have the ability to create. My goal is to have an animated OP, either drawn (1:35 is my target) or MAD-style moving CGs, and an all original soundtrack (6-8 tracks, including a couple of quick 1 minute character songs), but Animated Sprites and Menus/Titles Screens are really nice looking. Any suggestions on how to limit myself before I bite off more than I can chew?

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Re: Turning ideas into script

#2 Post by N0UGHTS »

:bangs head on desk: You lazy, lazy people...

Map out your ideas in a nice outline, and read it over. If you still want to do the project, tweak those ideas until you think it's perfect. And then write paragraphs upon paragraphs upon paragraphs of script. Alternatively, you can use the outline to decide whether you actually want to do the project or not.

...Where did the story for this project come from? Was it just inspiration from another story? Is it some sort of fan-game? Because if that's true, then chances are, that passion will be short-lived. Being a guy who's dropped so many fan-fics in progress, I have this to say: if it's not motivating, if you don't have that passion, drop it. Pick up a long-running idea that'll never run out of steam. And projects you actually burn to do will probably be better than projects that actually put you off.

I advise getting the script done first, and then deciding all the specifics for the game. Who knows; maybe 14 tracks will be more appropriate for your game when the script is done. I suggest mapping out these "features" in an outline/list thing too... From there you can decide if a 1:35-OP is really appropriate and whatnot. Also, just to let you know, AngelicCarrot is offering her services as a video editor, so you might be interested in getting her to do your OP. Or you could do it the other way and do all the individual frames of the OP yourself...

If you're doing the OP yourself, I suggest doing a storyboard, or at least writing a screenplay sort of thing.
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umemi (too lazy to log in)

Re: Turning ideas into script

#3 Post by umemi (too lazy to log in) »

I've always had an outline (It's pretty big now... ;_;), but every time I get a good idea (I now have a separate list for those, actually) I want to chuck it in as well. I feel like it's getting too big for a solo project, and I probably should limit myself.

The project is all original, as I can't draw fanart/write fanfiction to save my life. (Must be something about writing about already established characters...) There are references to some popular anime/manga/game series (Whatcha gonna do? The protagonist's a closet otaku...), but the story's all original.

Do you have any tips on getting the right words down in the editor? Or maybe tips for holding myself back from shoving every "awesome" idea that floats by into my project? 'Cause that's my real problem, at least for right now...

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Re: Turning ideas into script

#4 Post by Samu-kun »

Actually, I seem to have a lot of the same problems. =3 I've though of a couple ways I can keep myself from planning too far in advance and not being able to fulfill those plans.

First, it's actually really hard to translate your ideas onto an actual visual novel, since whatever occurs in your mind is going to be a lot better and more interesting that what you transcribe onto a visual novel. I think the only solution to this problem is to just have confidence and faith in your own abilities. Sometimes I write things and I think it's all utter crap, even though later on, I realize that what I wrote was actually not that bad. Also, it can help to have other people read through your work to get a second opinion.

What generally happens with me is that I always think up of new ideas mid project and think it's much more interesting than whatever I'm working on right now. =w= The best way to stop this is just with discipline and faith that your initial idea is still strong and there's no reason to dump everything out just to accommodate this later idea. I'm also thinking about actually handling all stages of production, from the script, art, and programming, all at once so that I don't over extend myself. I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to write all the script from the start, since it's possible to just keep on writing without any ideas on how many different character portraits and backgrounds you're going to have to draw for the story, or realizing how much extra programming it'll take to put your writing into the game. I haven't actually tried this much, but I think that if you want to include something in your game, then you should make it as you need it in the game instead of putting it off until later. If you can't do this, then I think that's a good sign that maybe you shouldn't include it.

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Re: Turning ideas into script

#5 Post by Jake »

umemi (too lazy to log in) wrote: Do you have any tips on getting the right words down in the editor? Or maybe tips for holding myself back from shoving every "awesome" idea that floats by into my project? 'Cause that's my real problem, at least for right now...
My advice would be simply to repeat the advice given to generations of creative writing students, really.


Firstly, write your core story without any of the frills or side-plots or anything first. Decide on your core story by thinking of what happens and why it happens and how it gets to a meaningful ending. Isolating what kind of feeling or theme or message you want the story to convey is often very helpful, because it gives you a solid razor with which to determine what does or doesn't get in - does this particular idea contribute towards, reinforce or otherwise embody the theme, or is it just something which you want to throw in because it sounds cool?

Secondly, editing is the process of going through your work and deleting every single word which isn't utterly necessary. It's usually considered better to have a tightly-written 10,000 word story than a dithering, rambling 40,000 word story.
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Re: Turning ideas into script

#6 Post by umemi »

Thanks for the advice, everyone. One last question: What about writing with endings in mind, or rather character paths? I have 2 main plot paths (where the situations are radically different from each other), each with three different ending paths. Should I just pick one ending to start on and then branch out from there? I'm trying to establish each path as an individual story, I guess, with it's own canon events.

For example:
You could end up either dating a girl in Densha Otoko-fashion, you could hook her up with her idolized vocalist in a happily-ever-after shoujo/otome-ge end, or you could end up teaching her some really bad otaku habits and breed a crazy stalker fangirl, who would go so far as to murder her favorite singer in order to "keep him perfect"

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Re: Turning ideas into script

#7 Post by N0UGHTS »

What I personally do is write one whole playthrough. Then, I backtrack one menu, and then finish all the other choices in that menu. And then when I've finished all those routes, I backtrack two menus, finish all those playthroughs...
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Re: Turning ideas into script

#8 Post by Vatina »

I do the same as Noughts. If I try to write different paths at the same time, then I end up loosing track of what happens in each respective path and mess everything up.

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Re: Turning ideas into script

#9 Post by umemi »

Thanks again for the advice! I can work on this during this year's Nanowrimo! (It should count, right?)

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Re: Turning ideas into script

#10 Post by Blue Lemma »

N0UGHTS wrote:What I personally do is write one whole playthrough. Then, I backtrack one menu, and then finish all the other choices in that menu. And then when I've finished all those routes, I backtrack two menus, finish all those playthroughs...
Sounds like somebody's wired for depth-first search :wink: (computer science reference, don't hit me >_< )

The outline idea is wise. I've been finding it's soooooo important with longer games. It makes sense that if you can't put together a solid detailed outline, you won't be able to put the whole game together.
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Re: Turning ideas into script

#11 Post by Guest »

This brings to mind something an old writing specialist said to her class (which I was in, of course):

If you can't summarize your entire story in up to four sentences, preferably two, you haven't given it enough thought. Can you? "WACKINESS ENSUES" doesn't count. In fact, it's annoying. DO NOT START WRITING if you aren't sure where it's going to lead.

My two cents. Take it or leave it, I guess.

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